Lately it seems everyone is doing something more productive than me. I've got friends going to Disneyland, I've got friends at Disneyworld, I've got friends in the Austin Triathlon...and I am just training. I suppose I should be glad I just have a goal.
I have continued to ramp up my training for the October 25th Longhorn Half-Ironman in Austin. I have swam the 1.2 mile distance twice now. So far my longest bike ride still falls a few miles short of equalling the 56 mile half-iron bike distance, but I plan to fix that this weekend by riding the 60 mile option in the Tour de Cure bike ride for the American Diabetes Association. The 13.1 mile run distance has never seemed an issue to me as I have many times done that distance or greater. My main issue is putting them together on the same day, which is obviously the big challenge of the triathlon. While I am not completely sure that I am ready right now for the half-iron distance, I am quite sure that come October 25 I will be!
Today has also been a bit of a somber day for me. Today would have been the 21st birthday of my daughter Amanda's friend (and a long-time family friend) Allison , about whom I wrote previously. I did manage to go spend a bit of time to talk with Allison's mother today and tried to remember Allison in other ways as well. In some ways I am still shaken by this event (and it seems tears are not too far away when I dwell upon it), and while there is nothing I can do about it I know my daughter still hurts terribly over this, and probably always will in some way. If you have children at home, hug them one more time today just because you can (and you may not always be able to!).
(Final Note: As I was proofing this post, a Taylor Swift song came on the radio. The ever present reminder that Allison and Amanda were on the way to a Taylor swift concert at the time the were hit by the other vehicle, and the same song that was playing when I first knew that Allison was not going to survive.)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The New Bike
This weekend I took my new bike on its first ride. After 2.5 miles I was approaching Flintridge, which was the first area that I could really open up and see what I could do on this bike. Then right before I crossed I got a flat rear tire. After pulling over and messing with it for about 30 minutes I could only get the replacement tube partly pressured up. So, I turned around and slowly rode home with a sad 5.1 miles.
After some extra review time, and a trip back to the bike store, I realized that my new hand pump for my bike didn't quite work right (or at least not as expected), but at least I got home without incident. I did get some more extra tubes and CO2 cylinders for future use, and practiced using them on the old tube so I would not get stuck again.
Then I went on with my Saturday which was filled with many (many, many,...) trips up and down stairs as I moved my daughter from a 3rd story apartment to a 2nd story apartment closer to school. I would later decide that this counted as my weekend running and hill training.
Fast forward to Sunday and I go out on my ride again with a bit of trepidation. This time my ride is largely without incident. My new Fuji is much lighter than my old bike and I could feel it, especially as I flew down hills with much less effort than before. Perhaps my biggest surprise is that I did not once fall over using the new clipless pedal system for the first time--I'll give credit here to Chris at Performance Bike who let me have some practice time while safely on a trainer before I left the store. I finished 26 miles with ease this morning and was wanting more, but lacked the time today. I look forward to going for a nice long ride next weekend to really test out the new bike.
After some extra review time, and a trip back to the bike store, I realized that my new hand pump for my bike didn't quite work right (or at least not as expected), but at least I got home without incident. I did get some more extra tubes and CO2 cylinders for future use, and practiced using them on the old tube so I would not get stuck again.
Then I went on with my Saturday which was filled with many (many, many,...) trips up and down stairs as I moved my daughter from a 3rd story apartment to a 2nd story apartment closer to school. I would later decide that this counted as my weekend running and hill training.
Fast forward to Sunday and I go out on my ride again with a bit of trepidation. This time my ride is largely without incident. My new Fuji is much lighter than my old bike and I could feel it, especially as I flew down hills with much less effort than before. Perhaps my biggest surprise is that I did not once fall over using the new clipless pedal system for the first time--I'll give credit here to Chris at Performance Bike who let me have some practice time while safely on a trainer before I left the store. I finished 26 miles with ease this morning and was wanting more, but lacked the time today. I look forward to going for a nice long ride next weekend to really test out the new bike.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
"Mis"-Adventures at the Clear Lake Olympic Distance Triathlon
I had my adventure-
-or should I say misadventures--at the Clear Lake City International Triathlon yesterday.
I had to race down after work on Friday to try to grab a packet at the packet resell following packet pickup because I just missed out on regular registration when the race filled up early. In any case, I got down there and was able to get a packet. Then I endured the driving rain and a lightning storm of the way back home (about 50 miles). After I got home there was some nighttime rushing about as I prepared all my stuff for the race.
I had no problems getting up and travelling down to the race site on Saturday morning. After getting down there it did not take too long to get situated in transition and get my timing chip and marking done. Then began the misadventures of the day...
While getting into the water for the open water swim, I stepped on some rocks in the water along the "path" they had supposedly cleared for us. They put down some type of mats to walk on for a bit but these did not cover the sharp rocks which cut my right foot in two places, later that night I would realize that one gash was into the foot and was probably bleeding for a while but the second was just superficial. Other than that I was generally happy with the swim. I am not a fast swimmer, but after a bit I felt I got into a groove and swam along comfortably, although I did get off course a few times when I made the mistake of following other swimmers instead of trying to sight the course myself. In the end, I finished around my goal time or a bit better on the swim.
I took a little time in transition to make sure I had everything just right and headed out on the bike (and a very good transition location that was practically next to one entry/exit and was close to the other one). The bike ride started off well enough as it took us a bit through town, then we turned and head toward what looked like a huge bridge. After that it was fairly level ground for pretty much the rest of the race. Around mile 14 my troubles on the bike started...up until now I was riding well, and keep ahead of my goal pace. Miles 14 - 16 (based on their course map) were on a very rough road that, in my opinion, was not suitable for an event such as this. It was very rough and uneven, I think a cobblestone path might have been better. In this 2 mile stretch I passed quite a few bikes that had pulled over with flat tires (after seeing only 1 earlier in the race). As I got near the end of this stretch, my rear tire blew out. After spending some time fixing it and getting going, I lost the tire again. This time I saw the hole blown out from the tube through the tire--probably from the first flat. As I stood around wondering what to do next the bike support truck showed up. They replaced my tire and tube (and with a nicer tire than I had before!) and got me going again. I walked the rest of the way off this road (not very far at this point) and remounted at the next intersection and continued the ride. I had a bit of a tough time getting going again and never quite got back to the speed I maintained before. A couple of miles up the Olympic course merged back in with the sprint course, and then we headed back to the park. My plan was to take it a bit easier on the bike for the last 15 minutes or so, but the 40 minutes off the bike due to the tire issues had left me far behind and thrown me off plan. So I pushed myself to the end of the bike, fearing that I might miss a cutoff time to start the run. In retrospect this may have caused me some issues into the run.
Since my race was already pretty much shot, I moved a bit more slowly through transition to rest a bit at the same time, then I went out on the run. My run started well enough, sure it was hot and sunny by then and I was doing a 4/1 run/walk to keep from overtaxing myself but I was feeling fine doing the first 2 miles in just over 25 minutes. A short bit later however, I started feeling cramps and the walking was eventually more than the running. I tried to alter my nutrition to see if this would help. I passed a few people along the way who were coming back on the run who encouraged me, I can only imagine that I looked as bad as they did! At the turn-around they were discussing on the radio whether or not I was the last runner (I know there were some bikes that had still been behind me, but I guess they chose to drop out.) I would later cross paths with another runner heading out towards the turn-around point but was not sure if he was in the race or not. All the aid station workers were very friendly and helpful on the course and had words of encouragement for me. Nearer to the end of the run (the last 2 miles or so) I was able to start increasing my running compared to walking again, so I think taking in more Gatorade and some Endurolyte capsules on the run helped fight back those cramps. Also the cuts on my foot did not affect me as much as I might have expected, especially after seeing them later and cleaning out one of those cuts.
As I made it back I noticed that the transition area had been pretty much cleared out by then and they had started the awards ceremony. I did cross the finish line in 4:29, about 30 minutes after my goal of finishing in the 3.5 to 4 hour range, which I could have easily done had it not been for all my little side issues along the way. I know that few events go perfectly, but this one just seemed like a tragic joke along the way. I do feel good about a number of things that came out of this race:
1. I did finish, which was my main goal--it just took much longer than I ecpected.
2. I learned that I could handle all these problems coming up during the event and still finish.
3. I did not give up. Even if I only beat the guys that dropped out, I still beat them.
4. I learned a few things about race nutrition that I will use to help me on my next longer triathlon.
5. It might be hard to believe after reading this but I did enjoy the event, not during the trouble spots, but as a whole I am still glad to have done it.
6. I did not lose as much weight as I expected during the event, making me believe I need to increase my intake earlier to avoid a repeat of the run-cramping issues for better overall nutrition.
7. Finally, I learned that while I may not be ready for my half-ironman race in late October, I still think I can get there as I continue to advance my training to where I want to be.
-or should I say misadventures--at the Clear Lake City International Triathlon yesterday.
I had to race down after work on Friday to try to grab a packet at the packet resell following packet pickup because I just missed out on regular registration when the race filled up early. In any case, I got down there and was able to get a packet. Then I endured the driving rain and a lightning storm of the way back home (about 50 miles). After I got home there was some nighttime rushing about as I prepared all my stuff for the race.
I had no problems getting up and travelling down to the race site on Saturday morning. After getting down there it did not take too long to get situated in transition and get my timing chip and marking done. Then began the misadventures of the day...
While getting into the water for the open water swim, I stepped on some rocks in the water along the "path" they had supposedly cleared for us. They put down some type of mats to walk on for a bit but these did not cover the sharp rocks which cut my right foot in two places, later that night I would realize that one gash was into the foot and was probably bleeding for a while but the second was just superficial. Other than that I was generally happy with the swim. I am not a fast swimmer, but after a bit I felt I got into a groove and swam along comfortably, although I did get off course a few times when I made the mistake of following other swimmers instead of trying to sight the course myself. In the end, I finished around my goal time or a bit better on the swim.
I took a little time in transition to make sure I had everything just right and headed out on the bike (and a very good transition location that was practically next to one entry/exit and was close to the other one). The bike ride started off well enough as it took us a bit through town, then we turned and head toward what looked like a huge bridge. After that it was fairly level ground for pretty much the rest of the race. Around mile 14 my troubles on the bike started...up until now I was riding well, and keep ahead of my goal pace. Miles 14 - 16 (based on their course map) were on a very rough road that, in my opinion, was not suitable for an event such as this. It was very rough and uneven, I think a cobblestone path might have been better. In this 2 mile stretch I passed quite a few bikes that had pulled over with flat tires (after seeing only 1 earlier in the race). As I got near the end of this stretch, my rear tire blew out. After spending some time fixing it and getting going, I lost the tire again. This time I saw the hole blown out from the tube through the tire--probably from the first flat. As I stood around wondering what to do next the bike support truck showed up. They replaced my tire and tube (and with a nicer tire than I had before!) and got me going again. I walked the rest of the way off this road (not very far at this point) and remounted at the next intersection and continued the ride. I had a bit of a tough time getting going again and never quite got back to the speed I maintained before. A couple of miles up the Olympic course merged back in with the sprint course, and then we headed back to the park. My plan was to take it a bit easier on the bike for the last 15 minutes or so, but the 40 minutes off the bike due to the tire issues had left me far behind and thrown me off plan. So I pushed myself to the end of the bike, fearing that I might miss a cutoff time to start the run. In retrospect this may have caused me some issues into the run.
Since my race was already pretty much shot, I moved a bit more slowly through transition to rest a bit at the same time, then I went out on the run. My run started well enough, sure it was hot and sunny by then and I was doing a 4/1 run/walk to keep from overtaxing myself but I was feeling fine doing the first 2 miles in just over 25 minutes. A short bit later however, I started feeling cramps and the walking was eventually more than the running. I tried to alter my nutrition to see if this would help. I passed a few people along the way who were coming back on the run who encouraged me, I can only imagine that I looked as bad as they did! At the turn-around they were discussing on the radio whether or not I was the last runner (I know there were some bikes that had still been behind me, but I guess they chose to drop out.) I would later cross paths with another runner heading out towards the turn-around point but was not sure if he was in the race or not. All the aid station workers were very friendly and helpful on the course and had words of encouragement for me. Nearer to the end of the run (the last 2 miles or so) I was able to start increasing my running compared to walking again, so I think taking in more Gatorade and some Endurolyte capsules on the run helped fight back those cramps. Also the cuts on my foot did not affect me as much as I might have expected, especially after seeing them later and cleaning out one of those cuts.
As I made it back I noticed that the transition area had been pretty much cleared out by then and they had started the awards ceremony. I did cross the finish line in 4:29, about 30 minutes after my goal of finishing in the 3.5 to 4 hour range, which I could have easily done had it not been for all my little side issues along the way. I know that few events go perfectly, but this one just seemed like a tragic joke along the way. I do feel good about a number of things that came out of this race:
1. I did finish, which was my main goal--it just took much longer than I ecpected.
2. I learned that I could handle all these problems coming up during the event and still finish.
3. I did not give up. Even if I only beat the guys that dropped out, I still beat them.
4. I learned a few things about race nutrition that I will use to help me on my next longer triathlon.
5. It might be hard to believe after reading this but I did enjoy the event, not during the trouble spots, but as a whole I am still glad to have done it.
6. I did not lose as much weight as I expected during the event, making me believe I need to increase my intake earlier to avoid a repeat of the run-cramping issues for better overall nutrition.
7. Finally, I learned that while I may not be ready for my half-ironman race in late October, I still think I can get there as I continue to advance my training to where I want to be.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Bike, Run, Bike
Another hot weekend here, at least now it's supposed to be this hot as opposed to unseasonably warm--still 100 degree days do not make for fun running days. In preparation for the upcoming Half Ironman (and for a bit of variety) I did my running and biking for a big one day brick workout.
I biked over to my friend Missy's house, then we ran, then I biked back home. The first bike leg was only 7 miles, I had wanted to do more, but time was becoming an issue and I did not want to be late for our meeting time. Then we did about 8.4 miles (including a bit of warmup and cooldown walking--8.12 miles running). It started out feeling fine, but warmed up in a hurry. It was not too long before we felt we were in a muggy soup out there. Still we pushed the pace and got a good workout, even running a negative split for our overall run. Finally, I rode a much less direct route back home with another 12.1 miles. Since I was not going for a long distance, I made sure to try to push my pace a bit, especially through the hills of Flintridge Drive--I know these are not nearly as bad as what I will find in Austin in October, but it is what I have to train with here for now.
Overall, it was a good workout for a warm, humid morning. Next week I'll be back to my Saturday long bike in the 30 to 40 mile range and my Sunday long run around 8 miles again, but for this weekend I liked the change of pace. This freed up Sunday for some real rest, and a chance for a lunch meeting Sunday with the parents of my oldest daughter's college roommate.
I also learned that it's time for a new pair of running shoes with this run as I felt that faint, but familiar, soreness that comes with wearing out the shoes. So it's time to rotate the Saucony's out, and the Asics up to the #1 spot, and shop for another pair. We'll see whether Asics or Saucony has a shoe that fits me better this time out. I do not like that the manufacturers muddle with their shoe designs, but I am thankful that I am generally happy with more than one shoe type on the market.
I biked over to my friend Missy's house, then we ran, then I biked back home. The first bike leg was only 7 miles, I had wanted to do more, but time was becoming an issue and I did not want to be late for our meeting time. Then we did about 8.4 miles (including a bit of warmup and cooldown walking--8.12 miles running). It started out feeling fine, but warmed up in a hurry. It was not too long before we felt we were in a muggy soup out there. Still we pushed the pace and got a good workout, even running a negative split for our overall run. Finally, I rode a much less direct route back home with another 12.1 miles. Since I was not going for a long distance, I made sure to try to push my pace a bit, especially through the hills of Flintridge Drive--I know these are not nearly as bad as what I will find in Austin in October, but it is what I have to train with here for now.
Overall, it was a good workout for a warm, humid morning. Next week I'll be back to my Saturday long bike in the 30 to 40 mile range and my Sunday long run around 8 miles again, but for this weekend I liked the change of pace. This freed up Sunday for some real rest, and a chance for a lunch meeting Sunday with the parents of my oldest daughter's college roommate.
I also learned that it's time for a new pair of running shoes with this run as I felt that faint, but familiar, soreness that comes with wearing out the shoes. So it's time to rotate the Saucony's out, and the Asics up to the #1 spot, and shop for another pair. We'll see whether Asics or Saucony has a shoe that fits me better this time out. I do not like that the manufacturers muddle with their shoe designs, but I am thankful that I am generally happy with more than one shoe type on the market.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Longhorn 70.3
Right now I seem to be better at registering for events than actually doing them....
Today I registered for the Longhorn Half Ironman event on October 25th. I am not going into the event with any special expectations. It will be my first attempt at the half iron distance and I am really looking forward to it even though it is only just under 3 months away at this point.
My expectations at Longhorn 70.3 are similar to my Disney Marathon expectations:
1. Have a good time, and
2. Finish.
Today I registered for the Longhorn Half Ironman event on October 25th. I am not going into the event with any special expectations. It will be my first attempt at the half iron distance and I am really looking forward to it even though it is only just under 3 months away at this point.
My expectations at Longhorn 70.3 are similar to my Disney Marathon expectations:
1. Have a good time, and
2. Finish.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Walt Disney World Marathon
Last Friday I registered for the 2010 Walt Disney World Marathon. I have have just 2 goals for this marathon:
1. Have a good time - I do plan on stopping for pretty much any excuse for a photo op during the race! I have some friends doing the event, so maybe we can make it a travelling party on running shoes.
2. Finish - No time goal, just finish.
Strangely enough, although I have done the 50K distance, I have not yet run a marathon. Leave it to me to do things out of order!
1. Have a good time - I do plan on stopping for pretty much any excuse for a photo op during the race! I have some friends doing the event, so maybe we can make it a travelling party on running shoes.
2. Finish - No time goal, just finish.
Strangely enough, although I have done the 50K distance, I have not yet run a marathon. Leave it to me to do things out of order!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Y Freedom Tri
Last weekend I participated in the Y Freedom Tri in Pearland, Texas. I thought it was a generally well-run event and I am glad to be able to say that I found the overall experience enjoyable.
Saturday afternoon, I went down to pick up my race packet and to find the event site. Packet pickup was at the local YMCA, and it was quick and easy. The race site was not far away, being located at a local park with auto parking at the nearby high school. Later on I met my daughter for dinner. We went to MooYah for burgers. MooYah is down the road from her apartment and specializes in burgers and shakes. We both enjoyed our burgers, although I had PowerAde to drink. I normally try to eat healthier than burgers, but I do try to enjoy something special as a personal reward when I am travelling to an event.
Sunday morning, I got up early at the Pearland La Quinta hotel and headed towards the event site. As I was packing up my bike I saw a couple others doing the same thing, so I was not the only triathlete staying at the hotel for this event. On the drive I noticed a store sign showing the current temperature to be 81ยบ F at around 545AM, but I already knew that it was going to be a hot day. Although parking was a bit of a walking trip from the event site, it was not a bad walk. Transition setup and chip pickup were both quick and easy.
The swim was a 300 meter pool swim, with contestants seeded by expected finishing time and starting at 10 second intervals. I finished right at my expected time and was passed by one swimmer and passed three others. I probably could have been faster in an open water swim, but everyone except maybe the first couple swimmers is limited by everyone else in the pool as well.
The bike was 12 miles throughout the local area. I found the bike course largely unremarkable as it was pretty much a standard residential area. Due to the route, we made several U-turns as we rode throughout the community, which slowed down the pace a bit at times.
The run was 3 miles leaving the park in the opposite direction from the bike. The run went through the neighboring subdivision and several local residents were out cheering on the runners. I was very happy that a few were out with their hoses offering to spray down the hot runners. Shortly after I started running I noticed my heart rate was around 85% of maximum, so I started doing a 3 minute run/1 minute walk to keep from overtaxing myself. In the end I figure the heat probably cost me about 3-4 minutes, but then again all the runners had to deal with the same heat, so while it affected my time, it really shouldn’t have affected my finishing position.
At the finish line I was given a cold, wet towel to use to help cool down and a nice finisher’s medal. The post race party had plenty of food and drink, and even ice cream. After a while the final finishers were coming in, including “Lady Liberty” who was the designated final finisher.
After the race, I took full advantage of La Quinta’s 12 Noon checkout time to clean up. (This was a very nice La Quinta and if I come back, I would stay here again.) Then my daughter and I went to Red Robin, where I had the steak sliders and she had a teriyaki chicken sandwich.
Overall, even with the unusually hot weather, I still had a good time and would recommend this event other triathletes. It would be a good event for first-timers.
Saturday afternoon, I went down to pick up my race packet and to find the event site. Packet pickup was at the local YMCA, and it was quick and easy. The race site was not far away, being located at a local park with auto parking at the nearby high school. Later on I met my daughter for dinner. We went to MooYah for burgers. MooYah is down the road from her apartment and specializes in burgers and shakes. We both enjoyed our burgers, although I had PowerAde to drink. I normally try to eat healthier than burgers, but I do try to enjoy something special as a personal reward when I am travelling to an event.
Sunday morning, I got up early at the Pearland La Quinta hotel and headed towards the event site. As I was packing up my bike I saw a couple others doing the same thing, so I was not the only triathlete staying at the hotel for this event. On the drive I noticed a store sign showing the current temperature to be 81ยบ F at around 545AM, but I already knew that it was going to be a hot day. Although parking was a bit of a walking trip from the event site, it was not a bad walk. Transition setup and chip pickup were both quick and easy.
The swim was a 300 meter pool swim, with contestants seeded by expected finishing time and starting at 10 second intervals. I finished right at my expected time and was passed by one swimmer and passed three others. I probably could have been faster in an open water swim, but everyone except maybe the first couple swimmers is limited by everyone else in the pool as well.
The bike was 12 miles throughout the local area. I found the bike course largely unremarkable as it was pretty much a standard residential area. Due to the route, we made several U-turns as we rode throughout the community, which slowed down the pace a bit at times.
The run was 3 miles leaving the park in the opposite direction from the bike. The run went through the neighboring subdivision and several local residents were out cheering on the runners. I was very happy that a few were out with their hoses offering to spray down the hot runners. Shortly after I started running I noticed my heart rate was around 85% of maximum, so I started doing a 3 minute run/1 minute walk to keep from overtaxing myself. In the end I figure the heat probably cost me about 3-4 minutes, but then again all the runners had to deal with the same heat, so while it affected my time, it really shouldn’t have affected my finishing position.
At the finish line I was given a cold, wet towel to use to help cool down and a nice finisher’s medal. The post race party had plenty of food and drink, and even ice cream. After a while the final finishers were coming in, including “Lady Liberty” who was the designated final finisher.
After the race, I took full advantage of La Quinta’s 12 Noon checkout time to clean up. (This was a very nice La Quinta and if I come back, I would stay here again.) Then my daughter and I went to Red Robin, where I had the steak sliders and she had a teriyaki chicken sandwich.
Overall, even with the unusually hot weather, I still had a good time and would recommend this event other triathletes. It would be a good event for first-timers.
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